Friday, July 10, 2015

Deuteronomy 3: The View From Pisgah

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
Moses?  No, Martin Luther King, Jr.

People sometimes forget that Martin Luther King, Jr.'s mission in life was fueled by his Christian faith.  In his last speech, part of which is quoted above, that was given less than 24 hours before his assassination, King drew upon his biblical heritage in a famous scene from Deuteronomy 3.  The words are spoken like they could have come from Moses.

As Moses wraps up his national history lesson with the Israelites, he shares a personal word about his own walk with the Lord.  While he would very much like to enter Canaan himself, God has forbidden it.  Instead, Moses is permitted to view the Promised Land from the heights of Mount Pisgah and can only anticipate what God will do in the next generation under Joshua (vs. 27-28).

Sometimes that's the way it is with leaders.  They can get people to the brink of a major accomplishment or victory, but rather than making it through the transition themselves, they have to merely view it from the mountaintop.  Moses is the paradigm for the leader who gets his people to the verge of success, only to be able to glimpse the future rather than experience it for himself.  Mount Pisgah is as far as they get.

There is good news, however.  The Bible later recounts a time when Moses is IN the Promised Land.  In the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus, Moses and Elijah are seen conversing with our Lord.  He made it after all - in spirit.

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